Boracay’s Kaban casino-hotel to have soft-opening on Sept 16

Kaban Hotel and Casino Boracay, described as the first casino-hotel venue on the Philippine resort island of Boracay to be licensed by the country’s gaming regulator, is to have a soft opening on Wednesday (September 16), a property representative confirmed to GGRAsia. A formal launch of the property is scheduled for October, according to a report by the Manila Bulletin. The six-storey Kaban Hotel and Casino (pictured in a rendering) is said to form part of a 23-hectare (56.8-acre) development by Philippines-based Golden TW Realty and Development Corp, a real estate and hospitality group. The soon-to-launch property has 88 hotel rooms and a 2,000-square-metre (21,528-sq.-feet) casino floor licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), per the report. The gaming venue is said to include table games, slot machines and electronic gaming stations, according to information provided by the property. “Kaban is more than a destination. It is our promise to bring world-class entertainment and heartfelt Filipino hospitality together, creating a place where culture, leisure, and celebration come together,” said Kevin Wong, president and chief executive of Kaban Hotel and Casino, as cited by the media outlet. The property also features seven food and drink outlets. Other amenities include a spa, an outdoor swimming pool, a VIP lounge, a children’s play area, a lobby café and a rooftop bar. Kaban Hotel and Casino is part of Golden TW Realty’s wider development plans for Station 0, an area at the northern end of Boracay, an island that is one of the Philippines’ best-known tourism destinations. The developer is also working on Boracay Central, described as a lifestyle shopping centre, and scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year, as reported by the Manila Bulletin. The opening of Kaban Hotel and Casino comes at a time when Pagcor has been seeking to expand the regulated sector while tightening oversight of gaming operations.